Aerodynamics machine in-place tile thermal protection

ABSTRACT

A method for building an aerodynamic structure, an aerodynamic structure, and a vehicle that includes the aerodynamic structure are provided. The method includes providing a structure with at least one substantially-flat exterior surface. The method also includes attaching blocks of rigid fibrous insulation to the at least one substantially-flat outer surface of the structure. Outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation extend past a target outer mold line of a final aerodynamic shape. The method also includes machining the outward-facing surfaces of the attached blocks to the outer mold line.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASES

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/471,993, which was filed on Mar. 28, 2017 and issued on Dec. 12, 2019as U.S. Pat. No. 10,507,940, the entire contents of which areincorporated by reference herein.

GOVERNMENT RIGHTS

This invention was made with Government support under HR0011-14-9-0005awarded by DARPA. The government has certain rights in this invention.

BACKGROUND

Aspects described herein relate to thermal protection tiles, and morespecifically, to shaping and installing thermal protection tiles.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, a method for building an aerodynamic structurecomprises providing a structure with at least one substantially-flatexterior surface. The method also comprises attaching blocks of rigidfibrous insulation to the at least one substantially-flat exteriorsurface of the structure. Outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation extend past an outer mold line of a final aerodynamicshape. The method also comprises machining the outward-facing surfacesof the attached blocks to the outer mold line.

According to one aspect, an aerodynamic surface comprises a structurethat comprises a first substantially-flat exterior surface and a secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface. The first and secondsubstantially-flat exterior surfaces intersect at an angle. Theaerodynamic surface also comprises a first plurality of blocks of rigidfibrous insulation attached to the first substantially-flat exteriorsurface. Outward-facing surfaces of the blocks form at least a firstportion of an aerodynamic shape. The aerodynamic shape is continuousfrom an edge of a first one of the first plurality of blocks to anadjacent edge of a second one of the first plurality of blocks. Theaerodynamic surface also comprises a second plurality of blocks of rigidfibrous insulation attached to the second substantially-flat exteriorsurface. One of inward-facing surfaces and sides of the at least one ofthe second plurality of blocks are in facing relationships withrespective sides of at least one of the first plurality of blocks.Exterior surfaces of the second plurality of blocks form at least asecond portion of the aerodynamic shape. The aerodynamic shape iscontinuous from an edge of a first one of the second plurality of blocksto an adjacent edge of a second one of the second plurality of blocks.The aerodynamic shape is continuous from the first plurality of blocksto adjacent ones of the second plurality of blocks.

According to one aspect, a vehicle comprises a structure that comprisesa first substantially-flat exterior surface and a secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface. The first and secondsubstantially-flat exterior surfaces intersect at an angle. The vehiclealso includes a first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulationattached to the first substantially-flat exterior surface.Outward-facing surfaces of the blocks form at least a first portion ofan aerodynamic shape for the vehicle. The aerodynamic shape iscontinuous from an edge of a first one of the first plurality of blocksto an adjacent edge of a second one of the first plurality of blocks.The vehicle also comprises a second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation attached to the second substantially-flat exterior surface.One of inward-facing surfaces and sides of the at least one of thesecond plurality of blocks are in facing relationships with respectivesides of at least one of the first plurality of blocks. Exteriorsurfaces of the second plurality of blocks form at least a secondportion of the aerodynamic shape. The aerodynamic shape is continuousfrom an edge of a first one of the second plurality of blocks to anadjacent edge of a second one of the second plurality of blocks, andwherein the aerodynamic shape is continuous from the first plurality ofblocks to adjacent ones of the second plurality of blocks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the vehicle with ceramic thermalprotection tiles arranged thereon, according to at least one aspect;

FIG. 2 is a perspective, cross-sectional view of a leading edge of thevehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary block of rigid fibrousinsulation;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a structure with blocks of rigidfibrous insulation attached to substantially-flat surfaces of thestructure;

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 4A, whereinoutward-facing surfaces of some of the blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation are machined to an outer mold line defining an aerodynamicsurface;

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the structure of FIG. 4A, whereinoutward-facing surfaces of all of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulationare machined to the outer mold line defining the aerodynamic surface;

FIG. 5A is a flowchart for a method for forming ceramic thermalprotection tiles on a structure having a substantially-flat exteriorsurface; and

FIG. 5B is a flow chart for the step from the method of FIG. 5A ofattaching blocks of rigid fibrous insulation to a substantially-flatsurface of the structure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Spacecraft designed to reenter Earth's orbit and aircraft that travel atvery high velocities typically cover exterior portions of the vehiclessubject to air friction heating with ceramic thermal protection tiles.The ceramic thermal protection tiles are made of ceramic fibers fusedtogether. The fused together ceramic fibers are referred to herein as“rigid fibrous insulation.” In at least one aspect, the rigid fibrousinsulation is formed according to the processes described in U.S. Pat.No. 6,716,782, issued on Apr. 6, 2004, the contents of which areincorporated herein in their entirety. The ceramic thermal protectiontiles insulate the underlying structure of the vehicle from the heatgenerated by air friction.

In typical applications, such as on the Space Shuttle or the Boeing X-37Orbital Test Vehicle, the ceramic thermal protection tiles are installedon exterior surfaces of a vehicle structure that is substantiallyparallel to an aerodynamic exterior surface profile of the installedtiles (the exterior aerodynamic surface profile of the installed tilesis referred to herein as an outer mold line). As a result, the exteriorsurfaces of the structure typically include curved surfaces (e.g., atleading edges of airfoils, at wing-to-body fairings, and at the nosecone of the vehicle). The ceramic thermal protection tiles are shaped tofit in relation to each other as well as in relation to theaerodynamically-curved exterior surfaces of the structure. As a result,in many instances, each ceramic thermal protection tile is unique suchthat it can only be placed in a particular location on the vehicle. Themanufacturing costs of making many uniquely-shaped ceramic thermalprotection tiles, as well as the costs and logistics of tracking andstoring the unique tiles, increases the cost of manufacturing andservicing such vehicles.

Additionally, the ceramic thermal protection tiles are typicallyinstalled on a strain isolation pad that is disposed on the exteriorsurface of the structure for the vehicle. The strain isolation pad maybe a heat resistant nomex felt fabric, or similar material, thatcushions the ceramic thermal protection tiles from the exterior surfaceof the structure. The strain isolation pad allows the vehicle (includingthe exterior surface of the structure for the vehicle) to flex duringthe strain of vehicle operations (e.g., lift off, maneuvering, andreentry) without cracking the ceramic thermal protection tiles. One sideof the strain isolation pad is typically glued or otherwise adhered tothe exterior surface of the structure of the vehicle, and the ceramicthermal protection tiles are glued or otherwise adhered to the otherside of the strain isolation pad. The strain isolation pad has arelatively large thickness tolerance. As a result, when the ceramicthermal protection tiles are installed on the strain isolation pad,there can be variations in height from one tile to the next tile,creating discontinuities in the aerodynamic profile of the outer moldline formed by the tiles. Such discontinuities, where an edge of theoutward-facing surface of one tile is higher or lower than an adjacentedge of a neighboring tile, can reduce the aerodynamic performance ofthe vehicle by increasing drag and can increase heating along thesurface. In some instances, high spots on certain tiles may be shavedafter installation to mitigate some of these discontinuities. However,it may be impossible or impractical to completely eliminate all suchdiscontinuities, and such shaving operations are time consuming andcostly.

In aspects disclosed herein, the underlying structure of a vehicleincludes flat exterior surfaces that intersect at an angle. Blocks ofrigid fibrous insulation with a standardized shape (e.g., a rectangularcuboid or a trapezoidal cuboid) are glued or otherwise adhered to theflat exterior surfaces and/or, optionally, to strain isolation pads onthe flat exterior surfaces. After the blocks of rigid fibrous insulationare adhered to the flat exterior surfaces, outward-facing surfaces ofthe blocks of rigid fibrous insulation are machined to form an outermold line matching a desired aerodynamic profile. By using blocks ofrigid fibrous insulation with standardized shapes, a relatively smallnumber of block shapes may be used to cover the various exteriorsurfaces of the vehicle, thereby reducing part count and increasinginterchangeability among the blocks. In addition, by machining theoutward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation afterthey are attached to the exterior surfaces of the structure of thevehicle, any variation caused by the use of a strain isolation pad maybe mitigated. After the outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation have been machined to the outer mold line, a slurry(e.g., of ceramic powders in a colloidal solution) is applied to theoutward-facing surface. The slurry cures at room temperature. In oneaspect, room temperature is a temperature within a range between 68° F.and 77° F. In another aspect, room temperature may be within a range ofbetween 60° F. and 100° F. In yet another aspect, room temperature maybe within a range of between 60° F. and 90° F. In yet anotherembodiment, room temperature may be any temperature below temperaturesthat would cause damage and/or deformation to the structure on whichblocks of rigid fibrous materials are attached or to other componentsattached to the structure. The cured slurry increases the hardness ofthe outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation,increases the impact protection of the blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation, and improves the thermal emissivity of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation. The blocks of rigid fibrous insulation with thecured slurry are ceramic thermal protection tiles. Since the slurry isapplied after the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation afteroutward-facing surfaces of the blocks are machined to the outer moldline, the resulting ceramic thermal protection tiles may be uniformlycoated with the cured slurry. By contrast, the above-described “shaving”of high spots on ceramic thermal protection tiles that are machinedprior to installation on a structure may have a non-uniform coating dueto this coating spots or dissimilar coatings applied at the shavinglocations.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spacecraft 100 that includes afuselage 102, a nose cone 110, and wings 104. The wings 104 includeleading edges 106, and the wings 104 are attached to the fuselage 102with a wing-to-body fairing 108. The nose cone 110, the leading edges106 of the wings 104, and the wing to body fairing 108 may all besubject to high temperatures due to air friction when the spacecraft 100reenters the atmosphere. The nose cone 110, the leading edges 106 of thewings 104, and the wing-to-body fairing 108 are covered in ceramicthermal protection tiles, which insulate the underlying structure of thespacecraft 100 from the heat.

FIG. 2 is a perspective cross-sectional view of an aerodynamic surface200 for a vehicle, such as the spacecraft 100. For example, theaerodynamic surface 200 could be a portion of the leading edge 106 ofone of the wings 104 of the spacecraft 100, according to one aspect. Theaerodynamic surface 200 includes a structure 202 that comprises a firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 and a second substantially-flatexterior surface 206. The first substantially-flat exterior surface 204and the second substantially-flat exterior surface 206 intersect at anangle. The illustrated structure 202 includes a third substantially-flatexterior surface 208, which intersects with the secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface 206 at an angle. In various aspects,a structure could have more than three substantially-flat exteriorsurfaces. In at least one aspect, the substantially-flat exteriorsurfaces could form a faceted shape.

In the illustrated aspect, the first substantially-flat exterior surface204 and the second substantially-flat exterior surface 206 are coveredwith a strain isolation pad 210. As discussed above, the strainisolation pad 210 may be glued or otherwise adhered to the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 and the secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface 206. The term “substantially-flat”refers to a surface that is flat but for manufacturing tolerances and/orpart tolerances. For example, as discussed above, strain isolation pads210 typically have a relatively high thickness variance. If such astrain isolation pad 210 were placed on a flat surface, theoutward-facing surface of the strain isolation pad 210 would beconsidered a “substantially-flat”surface because any waviness to theoutward-facing surface of the strain isolation pad 210 would be due tothe part tolerances of the strain isolation pad 210.

A first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 are attachedto the first substantially-flat exterior surface 204. As discussedabove, the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 areglued or otherwise adhered to the first substantially-flat exteriorsurface 204. In at least one aspect, the adhesive is a room temperaturevulcanizing (RTV) silicone. In at least one aspect, the RTV silicone isa two-part RTV silicone adhesive optimized for performance at elevatedtemperatures by adding fillers such as iron oxide. In aspects in whichthe first substantially-flat exterior surface 204 is covered with thestrain isolation pad 210, the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 212 are glued or otherwise adhered to the strain isolationpad 210. In one aspect, the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 arebonded to the strain isolation pad 210 before the strain isolation pad210 is bonded to the first substantially-flat exterior surface 204. Inanother aspect, the strain isolation pad 210 is bonded to the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 and then the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation 212 are bonded to the strain isolation pad 210.

As discussed above, the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 212 are made of ceramic fibers fused together. In at leastone aspect, the ceramic fibers fused together resemble a bird's nest (ifviewed through a microscope) or other porous structure. An adhesiveapplied to such a porous structure may be absorbed into the structurerather than stay on the surface of the blocks, thereby reducing theeffectiveness of the adhesive when applied to the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 and/or the strain isolation pad210. To mitigate absorption of the adhesive into the structure, a slurryis applied to the inward-facing surfaces of the first plurality ofblocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 (e.g., inward-facing surface 216of block 214 and inward-facing surface 224 of block 222). In one aspect,the slurry includes one or more types of ceramic powders in a colloidalsolution. The colloidal solution may be an alcohol, water, or otherliquid with oppositely charged polymers that adhere to particles of theceramics. In one aspect, the slurry comprises between 60-80% colloidalsilica solution, 20-40% silica powder, and 0-4% Silicon Hexaboride, byweight. The oppositely charged polymers prevent agglomeration of theceramic particles. The coating may be cured at room temperature or atelevated temperatures (e.g., during firing in an autoclave or oven). Inone aspect, the cured coating penetrates approximately one tenth of aninch into the surface of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation,densifying the outermost one tenth of an inch of the blocks. Stateddifferently, the cured coating makes the inward-facing surfaces of theblocks of rigid fibrous insulation impermeable such that an adhesiveapplied to the inward-facing surfaces of the blocks remains on thesurface. Additionally, the cured coatings strengthen the tiles anddistributing the loads imparted at the interface between the blocks ofrigid fibrous insulation 212 and the strain isolation pad 210.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 212 is attached to the first substantially-flat exteriorsurface 204 (or the strain isolation pad 210). The first plurality ofblocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 is arranged on the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 with gaps 228 and 230therebetween. In one aspect, the gaps between blocks is between 0.01 and0.20 inches. For example, blocks 214 and 215 of the first plurality ofblocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 are separated from blocks 222 and217 of the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 bya gap 228. Additionally, blocks 214 and 222 of the first plurality ofblocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 are separated from blocks 215 and217 by the gap 230.

In FIG. 2, the blocks of the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 212 have been machined to an outer mold line 270 such thatthe outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulationform a continuous aerodynamic shape from one block to the next. Forexample, the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facing surface 218of block 214 continues along the outward-facing surface 226 of block 222across the gap 228. Stated differently, the edge of the outward-facingsurface 218 of block 214 to the adjacent edge of the outward-facingsurface 226 of block 222 both lay on the outer mold line 270. As anotherexample, the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facing surface 218of block 214 continues along the outward-facing surface 220 of block 215across the gap 230. The outer mold line 270 defines the aerodynamicshape of the outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrousmaterial in all three dimensions (i.e., front-to-back relative to thespacecraft 100, top-to-bottom relative to the spacecraft 100, andside-to-side relative to the spacecraft 100).

FIG. 2 also shows a second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 240 attached to the second substantially-flat exteriorsurface 206 (and/or to the strain isolation pad 210). For example, FIG.2 shows blocks 242, 244, 243, and 245 of the second plurality of blocksof rigid fibrous insulation 240 attached to the secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface 206 and/or to the strain isolationpad 210. As shown in the partial cross-sectional view, inward-facingsurfaces 248 and 250 of blocks 242 and 244, respectively, are attachedto the strain isolation pad 210 (e.g., with glue or other adhesive).Additionally, the inward-facing surfaces 248 and 250 extend past theedges of the second substantially-flat exterior surface 206 (where thesecond substantially-flat exterior surface 206 intersects the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 204 and the third substantially-flatexterior surface 208, respectively). As a result, the inward-facingsurface 248 of the block 242 is arranged in a facing relationship with aside surface 234 of the block 214 from the first plurality of blocks ofrigid fibrous insulation 212. A gap 256 is formed between theinward-facing surface 248 of the block 242 and the side surface 234 ofthe block 214. Similarly, the inward-facing surface 250 of the block 244is arranged in a facing relationship with a side surface 266 of a block262 from a third plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 260attached to the third substantially-flat exterior surface 208. A gap 268is formed between the inward-facing surface 250 of the block 244 and theside surface 266 of the block 262.

The second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 240 isarranged on the second substantially-flat exterior surface 206 with gaps246 and 230 therebetween. For example, the block 242 and the block 244of the second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 240 areseparated by a gap 246. Additionally, the block 243 of the secondplurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 240 is separated fromthe block 242 by the gap 230. As shown in the exemplary aspect of FIG.2, the blocks of the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 212 and the second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 240 are aligned such that the gap 230 is continuous from thefirst plurality to the second plurality. In various other aspects, thefirst plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 and the secondplurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 240 may not be alignedsuch that the gap 230 would be positioned differently in the firstplurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 and the secondplurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 240.

In FIG. 2, the blocks of the second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation 240 have been machined to the outer mold line 270 such thatthe outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigid fibrous insulationform a continuous aerodynamic shape from one block to the next. Forexample, the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facing surface 252of block 242 continues along the outward-facing surface 241 of block 244across the gap 246. Stated differently, the edge of the outward-facingsurface 252 of block 242 and the adjacent edge of the outward-facingsurface 241 of block 244 lay along the outer mold line 270. As anotherexample, the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facing surface 252of the block 242 continues along the outward-facing surface 254 of theblock 243 across the gap 230. Moreover, the aerodynamic shape defined bythe outward-facing surfaces of the blocks is continuous from the blocksof the first plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212 to theblocks of the second plurality of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation240. For example, the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facingsurface 252 of block 242 continues along the outward-facing surface 218of block 214 across the gap 256. Likewise, the aerodynamic shape definedby the outward-facing surface 254 of block 243 continues along theoutward-facing surface 220 of block 215 across the gap 256. Similarly,the aerodynamic shape defined by the outward-facing surfaces of theblocks is continuous from the blocks of the second plurality of blocksof rigid fibrous insulation 240 to the blocks of the third plurality ofblocks of rigid fibrous insulation 260. For example, the aerodynamicshape defined by the outward-facing surface 241 of block 244 continuesalong the outward-facing surface 264 of block 262 across the gap 268.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary block of rigid fibrous insulation 300prior to installation onto a substantially-flat structure and prior tomachining of an outward-facing surface to an outer mold line definingaerodynamic surface. For example, the illustrated block of rigid fibrousinsulation 300 could be attached to the substantially-flat exteriorsurfaces 204, 206, and 208 of the structure 202 to form the first,second, and third pluralities of blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 212,240, and 260. Thereafter, outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation 300 could be machined to the outer mold line 270 toshape the first, second, and third pluralities of blocks of rigidfibrous insulation 212, 240, and 260 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Theexemplary block of rigid fibrous insulation 300 has a rectangular cuboidshape, meaning that an inward-facing surface 302 and an outward-facingsurface 304 are parallel to each other, and that sidewalls 306 and 308extending between the inward-facing surface 302 and the outward-facingsurface 304 are perpendicular to the inward-facing surface 302, to theoutward-facing surface 304, and to each other. The block 300 may be ageneral block used for covering most of the flat surfaces of astructure. Where two flat or substantially-flat surfaces of thestructure intersect at an angle, the block 300 may be modified toprovide a block with surfaces specific for an intersection of blocks atthat angle. For example, one or both of the sidewalls 306 and 308 couldbe arranged at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the inward-facingsurface 302, the outward-facing surface 304, and/or each other. Suchmodifications to the block 300 could be performed by machining the block300 (e.g., using a computer numerical control (CNC) mill) or bymodifying a mold for forming the block 300. Additionally, blocks 300could be modified such that the inward-facing surface 302 and/or theoutward-facing surface 304 has a non-rectangular shape for placementalong an edge of a substantially-flat surface that is not linear or thatwill not align with edges of the unmodified block 300.

In one aspect, the blocks of rigid fibrous insulation 300 are formedfrom a combination of silica (SiO₂) and alumina (Al₂O₃) fibers, andboron-containing power (e.g., Boron Carbide) that are used as asintering agent. The insulative material is composed of about 60 wt % toabout 80 wt % silica fibers, about 20 wt % to about 40 wt % aluminafibers, and about 0.1 wt % to about 1.0 wt % boron-containing powder.During processing, the boron-containing powder provides boron-containingby-products which fuse and sinter the silica and alumina fibers whenheated to elevated temperatures. Thus, no supplemental binder isrequired during production of the insulative material. The use of theboron-containing powder allows the use of lower amounts (relative toNextel fibers used in AETB production) to form sufficient sinteringbetween the fibers. This small amount of boron-containing powder isreplacing a relatively large amount of Nextel fibers (12 to 15 wt %),which is one of the high cost components and is found to provide adverseeffects on the thermal conductivity due to its larger diameter.

The tile material is produced by dispersing the ceramic fibers in anaqueous solution forming a slurry. The slurry is blended using the shearmixer, which disperses the fibers evenly throughout and chops them to acertain length. By using a shear mixer, the fibers tend to be orientedlengthwise in the direction of the radial flow of the slurry duringmixing. In the finished tile, the fibers are substantially oriented inthe direction perpendicular to the press direction of the slurry, makingthis material anisotropic. This arrangement of fibers results in muchlower thermal conductivity along the press direction(through-the-thickness) relative to the direction perpendicular to thepress direction (in-plane).

After mixing and chopping, the slurry is optionally classified through aseparation means in order to remove undesirable solids, known asinclusions or shot, from the fiber slurry suspension. The insulativecharacteristic of the material stems from having small diameter ceramicfibers surrounded by large volumes of air. High-density ceramic shot orclumps are detrimental to the effectiveness of the insulationproperties, and are therefore removed before the material is pressed.

After filtration of the shot and/or clumps, the slurry is pumped intothe mold, otherwise known as the casting box, from which the fibers aredrained and pressed. Water removal is accomplished via gravity drainthrough the porous bottom of the casting box. Acceleration of thedraining step is done by the application of a vacuum at the bottom ofthe casting box. The slurry is pressed to produce a wet billet ofceramic fiber. The slurry is preferably pressed in the verticaldirection, by moving a top surface downwards and pressing upon thefibers. The vertical press direction is also called“through-the-thickness” direction. The geometry of the top surface,otherwise known as the press plate, is preferably similar to that of thebillet to reduce, if not eliminate, fiber layer separation caused bysurface friction with the inner walls of the casting box.

After pressing, the wet billet is dried and fired. The drying stepremoves residual moisture from the billet. The firing step fuses thefibers to one another to produce a rigid body and to provide structuralintegrity. Drying occurs at approximately 200 to 500° F. for at least 24hours. Firing occurs at a temperature between about 2,300° F. and about2,600° F. for about 1 to about 5 hours.

The fused insulative material is machined into the shape of a tile,normally in the six-inch by six-inch planform and with thickness rangingfrom one to three inches. The tile is machined so that the top surfaceand the bottom surface of the tile are roughly parallel to the directionof the fiber alignment within the tile material. This arrangementprovides an increase in tensile strength in the in-plane direction,which prevents the shrinkage and slumping that is problematic in theolder generation tiles. For example, tensile strength of a new tilehaving a bulk density of 8 lbs/ft³ is approximately 110-140 lbs/in² inthe in-plane direction and approximately 35-55 lbs/in² in thethrough-the-thickness direction. The direction is termed as “in-plane”when it is perpendicular to the fiber press direction, while“through-the-thickness” direction is termed when it is parallel to thefiber press direction. The strength of the tile is sufficient to supporta coating (e.g., a room-temperature curing slurry) applied on the outersurface of the tile without problems associated with slumping.

The insulative material exhibits very low thermal conductivity,particularly in the through-the-thickness direction.

FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate steps for attaching blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation (e.g., blocks 300) on a structure 400 and then machining theblocks of rigid fibrous insulation to an outer mold line defining anaerodynamic shape. The exemplary structure 400 and outer mold line ofthe aerodynamic shape illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4C is different from thestructure 202 and outer mold line 270 of the aerodynamic shapeillustrated in FIG. 2. Therefore, the blocks 300 of rigid fibrousinsulation may be attached to the structure 400 in a differentarrangement and/or outward-facing surfaces of the blocks 300 of rigidfibrous insulation may be machined differently to form the differentouter mold line. FIG. 4A illustrates a structure 400 that includes afirst substantially-flat exterior surface 402 and a secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface 404 meet at an angle at a line ofintersection 406. As shown in FIG. 4A, seven blocks 300 of rigid fibrousinsulation have been attached to the first substantially-flat exteriorsurface 402 of the structure 400, and an eighth block 300 of rigidfibrous insulation is being attached to the first substantially-flatexterior surface 402 of the structure 400 (as indicated by arrow A). Asdiscussed above, prior to attaching the blocks 300 to the firstsubstantially-flat exterior surface 402, the inward-facing surfaces 302of the blocks 300 have been coated with a slurry, and the slurry hasbeen cured. Additional blocks 300 of rigid fibrous insulation have beenattached to the second substantially-flat exterior surface 404 of thestructure 400. As shown best in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the secondsubstantially-flat exterior surface 404 includes modified blocks 300 adisposed along the line of intersection 406 that have a side surfacearranged at a non-orthogonal angle relative to the inward-facing surface302 and the outward-facing surface 304. The non-orthogonal side surfacesof the modified blocks 300 a are arranged at an angle such that thenon-orthogonal side surfaces of the modified blocks 300 a are arrangedin a parallel facing relationship with the orthogonal side surfaces ofthe blocks 300 attached to the first substantially-flat exterior surface402 and disposed along the line of intersection 406. As shown in FIG.4A, the structure is covered by two types of blocks 300 and 300 a. Thus,for this exemplary structure, only two types of blocks kept ininventory.

Referring now to FIG. 4B, after the blocks 300 and modified blocks 300 aare attached to the first substantially-flat exterior surface 402 andthe second substantially-flat exterior surface 404 of the structure 400,outward-facing surfaces of the blocks 300 and 300 a are machined to anouter mold line 410 that defines an aerodynamic surface. For example,the structure 400, with the blocks 300 and 300 a attached, may be placedin a CNC mill, which follows a computer program to use a cutting head tomechanically remove material from the outward-facing surfaces of theblocks 300 and 300 a. As another example, an etching agent may beselectively applied to chemically remove material from theoutward-facing surfaces of the blocks 300 and 300 a. In yet anotherexample, a laser or other radiation source may be applied to ablate theoutward-facing surfaces of the blocks 300 and 300 a. In FIG. 4B, certainones of the blocks 300′ and 300 a′ have been partially machined to theouter mold line 410, certain others of the blocks 300″ have been fullymachined to the outer mold line 410, and the remainder of the blocks 300and 300 a have not been machined yet. In FIG. 4C, all of the blocks 300″and 300 a″ have been fully machined to the outer mold line 410 thatdefines a desired aerodynamic shape.

After the blocks 300 and 300 a have been machined to the mold linedefining the desired aerodynamic shape, the outward-facing surfaces ofthe blocks 300 and 300 a are coated with a slurry (e.g., ceramic powdersin a colloidal solution). In one aspect, the slurry comprises about60-80% colloidal silica solution, 20-40% silica powder, and 1-5% siliconhexaboride. The slurry may be sprayed on or brushed on. In at least oneaspect, gaps between adjacent blocks 300 and 300 a are covered prior toapplying the coating such that the slurry does not fill in the gaps.Here, the slurry cures at room temperature. The cured slurry densifiesthe outward-facing surface of the blocks 300 and 300 a, improvingrigidity, impact protection, and thermal emissivity of theoutward-facing surfaces of the blocks 300 and 300 a. After the coatinghas cured, the blocks 300 and 300 a of rigid fibrous insulation areceramic thermal protection tiles for the structure 400.

FIG. 5A is a flow chart for a method 500 of providing ceramic thermalprotection tiles on a structure. In block 502 of the method 500, astructure is provided with at least one substantially-flat outersurface. In block 504 of the method 500, blocks of rigid fibrousinsulation are attached to the at least one substantially-flat outersurface of the structure. Outward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation extend past a target outer mold line of a finalaerodynamic shape for the structure. In block 506 of the method 500, theoutward-facing surfaces of the attached blocks are machined to the outermold line to form the aerodynamic shape. In block 508 of the method 500,a slurry is applied to the machined exterior surfaces of the attachedblocks. The slurry cures at room temperature. Once the slurry cures, theblocks of fibrous rigid insulation are ceramic thermal protection tileson the surface of the structure.

FIG. 5B is a flow chart for block 504 of the method 500. In block 510, aslurry is applied to inward-facing surfaces of the blocks of rigidfibrous insulation that will abut a selected one of the at least oneflat outer surface. After the slurry or coating has cured (at roomtemperature or after the application of heat, according to thecomposition of the slurry), an adhesive is applied to the inward-facingsurfaces of the blocks. In block 514, the blocks are adhered to the atleast one flat outer surface of the structure.

In the above-described aspects, ceramic thermal protection tiles may bearranged on a structure in a manner that is less expensive and lesstime-consuming than previous methods for arranging tiles, in whichindividual tiles are custom shaped to fit into a particular location.Moreover, in the above-described aspects, the ceramic thermal protectiontiles are formed such that outward-facing surfaces of the ceramicthermal protection tiles form a continuous aerodynamic surface, which ismore aerodynamic than the previous methods for arranging tiles, whichcommonly result in aerodynamic discontinuities.

The above-described aspects for forming ceramic thermal protection tileshave been described with reference to aerodynamic surfaces of anaircraft or spacecraft. In various other aspects, the methods describedabove could be used to form ceramic thermal protection tiles for otherapplications, such as for a furnace.

The descriptions of the various aspects have been presented for purposesof illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to theaspects disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope andspirit of the described aspects. The terminology used herein was chosento best explain the principles of the aspects, the practical applicationor technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, orto enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the aspectsdisclosed herein.

While the foregoing is directed to certain aspects, other and furtheraspects may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof,and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of building an aerodynamic structure,comprising: providing a structure with at least one substantially flatsurface; attaching a plurality of rigid insulation blocks to the atleast one substantially flat surface of the structure, whereinoutward-facing surfaces of the plurality of rigid insulation blocksextend past an outer mold line of an aerodynamic shape; and machiningthe outward-facing surfaces of the plurality of rigid insulation blocksto the outer mold line of the aerodynamic shape after attaching theplurality of rigid insulation blocks to the at least one substantiallyflat surface of the structure.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: applying a slurry to the machined outward-facing surfaces ofthe plurality of rigid insulation blocks.
 3. The method of claim 2,further comprising: covering gaps between two or more adjacent rigidinsulation blocks of the plurality of rigid insulation blocks beforeapplying the slurry to the machined outward-facing surfaces of theplurality of rigid insulation blocks.
 4. The method of claim 2, whereinthe slurry comprises ceramic particles suspended in a colloidalsolution.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising curing the slurryat room temperature.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching theplurality of rigid insulation blocks to the at least one substantiallyflat surface of the structure comprises: applying a slurry toinward-facing surfaces of one or more rigid insulation blocks of theplurality of rigid insulation blocks; applying an adhesive to theinward-facing surfaces of the one or more rigid insulation blocks afterthe applied slurry has cured; and adhering the one or more rigidinsulation blocks to the at least one substantially flat surface of thestructure.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the slurry comprisesceramic particles suspended in a colloidal solution.
 8. The method ofclaim 6, further comprising curing the slurry at room temperature. 9.The method of claim 6, further comprising curing the slurry at atemperature above 100° F.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein theadhesive comprises a room temperature vulcanizing silicone.
 11. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: attaching a strain isolation padto the at least one substantially flat surface, wherein attaching theplurality of rigid insulation blocks to the at least one substantiallyflat surface of the structure comprises attaching the plurality of rigidinsulation blocks to the strain isolation pad.
 12. The method of claim1, wherein the structure comprises a second substantially flat surfaceintersecting at an angle with one surface of the at least onesubstantially flat surface.
 13. The method of claim 12, comprising:attaching a second plurality of rigid insulation blocks to the secondsubstantially flat surface, wherein outward-facing surfaces of thesecond plurality of blocks extend past the outer mold line of theaerodynamic shape; and machining the outward-facing surfaces of thesecond plurality of rigid insulation blocks to the outer mold line ofthe aerodynamic shape after attaching the second plurality of rigidinsulation blocks to the second substantially flat surface of thestructure.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of aninward-facing surface of one rigid insulation block of the secondplurality of rigid insulation blocks is in a facing relationship with atleast a portion of a side-facing surface of one rigid insulation blockof the plurality of rigid insulation blocks attached to the one surfaceof the at least one substantially flat surface of the structure.
 15. Themethod of claim 14, wherein at least one rigid insulation block in thefacing relationship has a side surface arranged at a non-orthogonalangle relative to an inward-facing surface and an outward-facing surfaceof the at least one rigid insulation block.
 16. The method of claim 13,further comprising applying a slurry to the machined outward-facingsurfaces of the second plurality of rigid insulation blocks.
 17. Themethod of claim 16, further comprising covering gaps between two or moreadjacent rigid insulation blocks of the second plurality of rigidinsulation blocks before applying the slurry to the machinedoutward-facing surfaces of the second plurality of rigid insulationblocks.
 18. The method of claim 13, wherein attaching the secondplurality of rigid insulation blocks to the at least one substantiallyflat surface of the structure comprises: applying a slurry toinward-facing surfaces of one or more rigid insulation blocks of thesecond plurality of rigid insulation blocks; applying an adhesive to theinward-facing surfaces of the one or more rigid insulation blocks of thesecond plurality of rigid insulation blocks after the applied slurry hascured; and adhering the one or more rigid insulation blocks of thesecond plurality of rigid insulation to the second substantially flatsurface of the structure.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein theaerodynamic shape forms at least a portion of a leading edge of anairfoil.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the aerodynamic shape formsat least a portion of a wing-to-body fairing for a vehicle.